St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-12
TIE CITY,S POOR.
Supt. Snyder's Annual Report and
Remarks on Charity,

Supt. SnYder's Annual Report and
Remarks on Charity.
At the annual meeting of the supervisors
OF the poor yesterday afternoon there were
present Mayor Ames, Aid. Babb. Phelps,
Cloutier, Mareck. BarrOws and Pratt. Supt.
Snyder submitted his report for the month,
as fOllowS
Number of applications. 400: visits, 100: re-
lief in groceries, costing S660O5; orders for
wood, 3U2, amounting to $55S; number:of pa
tients in hospitals, 3S; sent to hospitals, 81;
now in hospitals, Al; expenses, $744; number
OF inmates of poorhouse IS; received during
the month, IS; expenses, $522.57; number of
visits by the city physician, 2l5: burials fur
nished, $10S.50; total amount expended,
81, 6e3. 40.
The superintendent reported that he had
sent certain women about to be confined to
Bethany Home to remain during period of
maternity, the cost to be the same as if the
women had been kept at the poor house.
Upon the suggestion Of the mayor it was
voted to allow Bethany Home 81 week for
four weeks previous to confinement for
each patient of this kind.
A number of bills for medical attendance
were discussed and ordered paid The SUI
perintendent's annual report showed:
Applications for aid. sc 69; 2,03l visits made
by the superintendent; 2,42l cases where re-
lief has been given in groceries; number OF
orders for groceries, 2,42l. amounting to
81, $3.50. 20; orders for wood, 1874, amounting
to 81, 794. Patients were distributed among
the hospitals as follows: st. BarnabaS, 1870:
Homeopathic. 70; Northwestern, 80; Bethany
Home, "a adults, "a infants; total number of
patients, 900. Hospital expenses: ST. Barna-
has. So, 323. l5; Homeopathic, 81, 6O39S; North
western, Sl,45I.9S: Bethany Home. Sl.5l955;
for conveyance, S3l6.50: total, S9,2l5.T6; num-
Der sent to poor house, SO; poor house eX-
penses, 1884. Visits by city physician, 45l !;
hurials, l70; costing S1.343. Total expenses,
$27,607.66.
The superintendent also appended the
following remarks upon the distribution of
public charities:
Various systems of charity have been eS-
tablished in ever city of Importance in the
United States. The rapidity with which it
leapS-after some practical method has been
estallished-speakS well of the people of this
country in alleviating suferings. The relief
now prevailing in this city for the care of in
digent (aged and helpIesS) is ample and
humane. The problem yet to be solved is the
management of the healthy and able bodied
OF our city who apply at this Office for public
aid. We find it difficult to supply the wants
of this class without injury to those that re-
ceive benefaction. Our effort has been TO
make this injury as light us possible by Civ
ing the applicant to understand that it is only
temporary and not q fixed pension that can
be demanded by right-lest we make pauperS
instead of elevatine this unfortunate class TO
self-supporting plane of industry and thrift.
Every thoughtful person must know tt at aid
from the public funds makes its recipients
paupers in the eye OF the law and tends. to
create unmanly feelings. Sympathy and in
terest must go hand in hand with aims. They
will reduce the necessity of giving largely
They will create self-reSpect instead of
degradation-inspire desire to be manly in
stead of helping pauperism. Our effort
should be to raise this class above the need of
relief, to prevent imposition and diminish
pauperism. To encourage thrift, self-depend-
ance and industry through friendly inter-
course, advice and sympathy, and to aid the
poor Of this class to help themselves. To
provide that the case of every applicant for
relief shall be thoroughly investigated. Hav-
ing been called upon to serve you as superin-
tendent of poor / have discharged that duty
as stated in the foregoing report, and if 1
have earned your favorable consideration of
the problem l respectfully ask you to divide
the honors with my very efficient clerk, Lars
Owre, ana the agencies ofthe different charit-
able institutions OF the city.